Attachment for inkstands



NDS.

M. EVE AT MENT FOR '(NO Model.)

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*rares ATTACHMENT FOR INKSTANDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,937, dated December30, 1890.

Application led September 24, 1890. Serial No. 365,984. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BARCLAY lll. EVERSON, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Attachments for Inkstands; and Ido hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in attachments for inkstands; andit consists. in the construction which will be fully describedhereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

The objects of my invention are to provide an attachment for inkstandswhereby a slight downward pressure of the pen will cause the air in theink-well to be compressed and force the ink up to the pen, to form acover, stopper, or diaphragm in one single piece, part of which isformed of hard rubber and the other of soft, and to provide a means forexpanding the cover in case it is too small to fit in the mouth of theinkstand.

Figure l isavertical section of an inkstand, showing the attachmentforced inside of the mouth. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing theattachment ot' somewhat different construe tion sprung` over the top ofthe mouth of the inkstand. Fig. 3 shows the thickened portion of thestopper in a reversed position from that shown in Figs. l and 2. Fig. 4is a perspective of the ring used to expand the covers, if they are toosmall to tit the mouth of the inkstand. Fig. 5 shows diierent forms ofmy invention.

A represents an ordinary inkstand or bottle of anydesired size, shape,or construction, and B represents my attachment which is to be appliedthereto. v This attachment consists of the central tube C, having theusual funnel formed at its upper end, and which extends any desireddistance down into the bottle, and the cover or diaphragm proper D,which is formed of soft rubber having any desired amount of flexibility,and which is preferably formed as a part of the tube O. The outer edge Fof this cover D is made much thicker than the flexible portion and isprovided with a vertical wall, which is intended to be turned downward,so as to tit either inside of the mouth of the inkstand or to catch overthe iiange formed upon its top, as shown in Figs. l and 2, or it may beturned upward, as shown in Fig. 3, and tit inside ot the mouth alone.The contact of this thickened portion F, whether forced inside of themouth of the bottle or made to catch over the flange upon its top, formsan air-tight joint. lf this thickcned portion is turned downward, asshown in Figs. l and 2, the upper end of the tube C will be raisedconsiderably above the top ot' vthe inkstand; but if it is desired thatthe tube shall project above the top of the inkstand but a veryshortdistance the thickened portion F will be turned upward,as shown in Fig.s.

While the entire attachment is preferably to be made in a single piece,as shown in Figs. l and 3, this construction is not absolutelynecessary. Vher'e they are made in a single piece, the tube C will beindependently hardened or vulcanized, While the other portion willremain soft and elastic. Through the thickened portion F will be made asmall airhole G, which is to be kept closed by means of a plug while theinkstandis in use. When it is desired to till the inkstand, this plug isto be removed, so as to allow a free escape of air, and then the ink canbe poured in the funnel upon the upper end of the tube C. By removingthis plug at any time While the inkstand is in use the expanded air inthe top of the well will be allowed to escape and thus prevent theexpansion from forcing the ink up into the tube.

Should it be desired to form the tube C ot' glass or any other suitablematerial independently of the flexible portion ot the cover, stopper, ordiaphragm, the flexible portion will be formed as shown in Fig. 2, Wherethe central part or portion I is funnelshaped and provided with aninwardly-projecting flange J at its top. The ink-tube is then insertedinto the cover, as shown, the flange J catching over the upper edge ofthe tube, as shown. `Where the covers are too small to fit naturally themouth of the inkstand or bottle, they may be expanded to .any desiredextent by inserting the ring N (shown in Fig. 5) inside ot the outerthickened portion of the cover. This ring, as shown in Fig. 5, has itstwo ends IOO reduced in size, and the ends of the ring are provided withratchets, so that. the ring will vremain at any size to which it isadjusted. Adjusting this ring to any desired size after it has beeninserted in the cover causes the cover to be expanded proportionately,and in this way the thickened portion may be en larged, so as to make atight joint with inkstands having mouths too large for the cover in itsnatural condition. The portion D of the cover, stopper, or diaphragmbeing elastlc a very slight downward pressure of the pen upon the upperend of the tube C Will cause the ink to rise to the pen, and as soon asthe pressure of the pen is released the ink drops back into the inkstandagain. This cover being' made to close 4the mouth of the inkstand, noevaporation of the ink can take place, all dust and dirt are prevented'from falling into the inkstand, and the ink is prevented frombecon'iing too thick for use.

By forming the entire cover, stopper, or diaphragm of a single pieceinstead of a number of pieces, as has heretofore been the case, theconstruction is greatly cheapened and simplified, the parts are not soliable to get out of order, no screw-threaded cap or collar is necessaryto hold the attachment upon the -inkstanch no leakage can take placebetween the flexible portion D and the tube C, While leakage is apt tooccur where they are made separate, the tube cannot be withdrawn fromthe diaphragm, which always rhas a tendency to destroy the soft rubber,and thus ruin the air-tightjoint which should beformed between them, andthere is no need for screw-threads at any place above the cover for anypurpose.

Owing to the tlzinness of the diaphragm it is impossible to make a tightjoint bet-Ween it and a tube which passes loosely through it, andtherefore I form them, preferably, integral, as before described, sothat joints are avoided.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. Au attachment forinkstands, consisting of a reversible stopper formed of rubber, having athick lower annular portion which is provided with a Vertical wall and athin dexible central diaphragm, whereby the stopper may be placed insideor outside of the mouth of the bottle or the thickened portion turnedabove or below the diaphragm and a tube passing through the'diaphragm,substantially' as shown.

2. The combination of the cover, stopper, or diaphragm formed offlexible and hard material, as described, and which is adapted to fitinside of the mouth of an inkstand, with an expanding device which is tobe placed inside of the outer edge of the attachment, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. l. M, EVERSON.

I'Vitnesses:

PHILIP MAURO, F. A. LEHMANN.

